Rotherham’s town centre has been transformed into an urban playground this half term, as the borough officially launches its Children’s Capital of Culture initiative with an exciting skate and arts festival and 10 days of events, exhibitions and activities.
Young people and children have taken to the town centre to watch demos by Team GB skaters and BMX pros, a giant spray-painting robot painting their selfies, live bands and large-scale art installations. They also got to take part in a wide range of creative workshops and events, including spray painting, screen printing and storytelling.
The launch festival is taking place to provide a taste of what 2025 will look like in Rotherham when it becomes the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture.
Cllr Dave Sheppard, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, said: “It’s been fantastic to see Rotherham come to life over half term with an exciting programme of events and activities that children and young people have created in partnership with the Council’s cultural services and partners such as Flux Rotherham and Grimm & Co.
“The launch festival has so far provided a real insight into what becoming Children’s Capital of Culture will mean for Rotherham and it’s young people, and it’s been fantastic to see such a great turn out and get such a positive response from everybody who has attended.
Julie Dalton, Chair of the Children’s Capital of Culture Programme Board, added: “The launch festival has been many months in the making and marks the start of Rotherham’s journey to becoming Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025. The whole team behind the programme is looking forward to working young people across the borough to design and deliver more fantastic events, create more training opportunities, support their creative development and increase access to employment and skills within the creative and cultural sector in the lead up to 2025 and beyond.”
Speaking about what the festival means to him, Mitchell Nuttall, a 25-year-old from Rotherham, who is one of the Young Producers making the launch programme happen over the next five months, said: “It’s been brilliant to see so many exciting events taking place in Rotherham over the last week, and it’s created a real buzz in the borough.
“Becoming Children’s Capital of Culture means that there will be more exciting events and opportunities than ever before for young people like me in Rotherham, and that’s something I’m really excited about.”
The launch festival kick-starts a five-month pilot programme of activity for 0–25-year-olds in Rotherham. From now until June 2022, children and young people can attend events, join creative networks and take part in skills training programmes as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture programme, which has received £1.8m from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
Young people will be able to continue their journey through initiatives such as Challenge Rotherham, which will see young people from across the borough create a new creative and cultural challenge each week.
A Young Creatives Network will also be launched over the coming weeks to help children and young people of all ages get their first experience of the cultural and creative industries, through taster workshops and classes to creating their own cultural events and activities for other young people to enjoy.
The launch festival has been made possible with support of Arts Council England, Flux Rotherham, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, ERDF Welcome Back Fund, Kaleider, Art of Protest, Grimm & Co, Rotherham Council, London Artist Projects, The Space and Hive South Yorkshire.
For more information about Rotherham becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025 and how you can be part of it, head to www.rotherham2025.com/hello.